Rumored specs hint that the iPhone 6c won’t be second rate

Apple’s rumored iPhone 6c is reportedly shaping up to be a compelling device in its own right. While early reports positioned the device as nothing more than a moderately enhanced iPhone 5s, the latest rumblings from the rumor mill suggest that Apple’s 4-inch offshoot of the iPhone 6s will be far more appealing than the ill-conceived iPhone 5c.

According to the Chinese website MyDrivers, the iPhone 6c will come with 2GB of RAM and the same A9 processor used in the iPhone 6s. Additionally, the device will reportedly feature a 1,642mAh battery, a slight jump from the iPhone 5s’ 1,570mAh battery. Notably, previous reports have also indicated that the iPhone 6c will come with an NFC chip and, as a result, support for Apple Pay. Design wise, the iPhone 6c will forgo the plastic used on the iPhone 5c and instead opt for a more elegant aluminum construction.

The report from MyDrivers, which cites sources within Foxconn, also relays that production on the new 4-inch device is set to begin in January of 2016. While all iPhone rumors should of course be taken with a grain of salt, this tidbit does seem to jibe with previous reports indicating that Apple is planning to hold a special media event in March where it will introduce the Apple Watch 2 and the iPhone 6c.

As far as a launch date is concerned, a leaked slide from a China Mobile presentation suggests that the device may go on sale sometime in April.

If all the rumors we’ve seen about the iPhone 6c pan out, the only real differences between the upcoming device and Apple’s flagship iPhone 6s devices will be 3D Touch and more advanced camera technologies. In other words, the iPhone 6c is shaping up to be an exciting release for folks not interested in the larger iPhone 6s models.